1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method capable of transmitting a photographed picture image without passing through a personal computer and the like to print out the picture image. Specifically, the invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method with which an operation for selecting an image to be printed out can be easily carried out.
2. Description of Related Art
A digital camera is generally known as an imaging apparatus configured to convert a picture image photographed by an imaging device thereof into digital signals and record them on a recording device such as a nonvolatile storage medium. Conventionally, data of a picture image (image file) are transferred to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and the like and image processing are carried out together with processing of control of a printing apparatus (printer) with use of an application program for picture image processing to print out a picture image taken by a digital camera. Currently, for more easy print of a picture image, it has been popularly used a direct print function which allows a digital camera to be directly connected to a printer and transfer picture image information stored in the digital camera thereto to print out the picture image(s).
In the case a picture image taken by the above-mentioned imaging apparatus and additional information regarding the picture image (e.g. a photographed date of the picture image) are combined and are then printed out, conventionally an operation for determining whether such additional information is to be added to the picture image or not is conducted at the time a user selects the picture image to be printed out. There is known a conventional invention capable of allowing a user to make an appropriate selection more easily to reduce difficulty in selecting an appropriate printer format (print pattern) which is suitable for printing additional information from among various printer formats which vary according to output forms (e.g. JP11-88815A).
According to the structure of the invention described in JP11-88815A, a selection of a picture image to be printed out can be made by way of visibly confirming a reduced-size image displayed on a display device provided for an imaging apparatus. Thus, a lot of selection operations are required for a user in order to set whether additional information is printed out or not properly, giving rise to trouble in making a simple selection of a desired picture image only.